McDonald's has removed a holiday commercial created via AI after encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The short spot was created via AI video tools and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the film. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This incident represents an important learning as we investigate the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong during the holidays, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that include AI-created content have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among prominent companies, notably for the holiday campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because segments produced with generative AI are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some critics noting it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any standard production".
"This was not an experiment," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.
For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.
However, several companies have also received backlash for using AI in advertising. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and production industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
